Pocketed headwear

Abstract

Headwear in the form of a cap has a hemispherical crown, a crescent-shaped visor and a shield connecting the outer surface of the crown to the upper surface of the visor to form a pocket which opens onto the underside of the visor. The shield has an upper edge extending along a semi-circular section of the crown, a lower edge extending in elliptical fashion between the forward and rearward edges of the visor, and side edges extending along lines between the visor corners and the peak of the cap. In one embodiment, especially suited for night fishing, the visor has an upwardly crested central portion, and snap means is provided to removably hold a flashlight in the pocket so that the light beam is directed downwardly ahead of the user, but lateral light scattering is obstructed. In another embodiment, the pocket has a snap closure for use in retaining articles, such as a fishing license, therein.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Headwear comprising: a generally hemispherical crown;   a crescent-shaped visor projecting forwardly peripherally at the front of the base of said crown, said visor being formed with an aperture therethrough rearwardly of the forward edge thereof; and   a shield connecting the outer surface of said crown with the upper surface of said visor to form a pocket between opposing portions of said crown, visor and shield which opens onto the underside of said visor through said aperture.   
     
     
       2. Headwear as in claim 1, wherein said shield connects a midsection between the peak and the base of the outer surface of said crown with a midsection between the forward and rearward edges of said upper surface of said visor. 
     
     
       3. Headwear as in claim 2, wherein said shield has a rounded upper and two straight side edges joined to said crown, and a rounded lower edge joined to said visor, with junctures between said lower edge and said side edges defining corners. 
     
     
       4. Headwear as in claim 3, wherein said upper edge extends generally along a semi-circular path of a section of said hemispherical crown taken through the center of said base. 
     
     
       5. Headwear as in claim 4, wherein said lower edge extends generally along an elliptical path between said forward and rearward edges of said visor from the corners at which said visor joins said crown. 
     
     
       6. Headwear as in claim 5, wherein said side edges respectively extend generally along lines from said corners to said peak. 
     
     
       7. Headwear as in claim 6, wherein said semicircular path along which said upper edge extends has a forward angular displacement from said peak of approximately 30 degrees. 
     
     
       8. Headwear as in claim 1, further comprising means for securing a flashlight within said pocket in an orientation that directs light emitted from the flashlight downwardly and forwardly out from below the visor. 
     
     
       9. Headwear as in claim 8, wherein said aperture is centrally located, wherein said visor has an upwardly crested central portion, and wherein said means for securing a flashlight within said pocket comprises means for orienting the flashlight so that lateral emission of light is obstructed by said upwardly crested portion. 
     
     
       10. Headwear as in claim 9, wherein said flashlight securing means comprises means for releasably securing the flashlight within said pocket. 
     
     
       11. Headwear as in claim 8, wherein said flashlight securing means comprises an extension of said visor at said aperture, and a fastener element of said extension for releasably interengaging with the flashlight at a point rearwardly of bulb and lens components thereof. 
     
     
       12. Headwear as in claim 1, further comprising means for releasably closing said aperture to prevent items stored in said pocket from falling out therefrom. 
     
     
       13. Headwear as in claim 12, wherein said releasable closure means comprises an extension of said visor at said aperture, a first fastener element on said extension, and a complementary second fastener element on said visor opposite said extension for matingly interengaging with said first fastener element. 
     
     
       14. Headwear as in claim 1, wherein said shield is made of light diffusing material; and wherein said headwear further comprises indicia located on the outer surface of said shield, and means for securing a flashlight within said pocket so that light emanating from said flashlight will provide a diffused background illumination for said indicia. 
     
     
       15. Headwear comprising: a generally hemispherical crown having a peak, a base and a front;   a crescent-shaped visor projecting forwardly and downwardly peripherally of the base at the front of said crown, said visor being formed with an aperture therethrough rearwardly of a forward edge thereof;   a shield connecting a midsection between the peak and the base of the outer surface of said crown with a midsection between the forward and rearward edges of the upper surface of said visor to form a pocket between opposing portions of said crown, visor and shield which opens onto the underside of said visor through said aperture;   a flashlight; and   means releasably securing said flashlight within said pocket in an orientation that directs light emitted form the flashlight downwardly and forwardly out from below said visor.   
     
     
       16. Headwear as in claim 15, wherein said aperture is centrally located, wherein said visor has an upwardly crested central portion, and wherein said means for releasably securing said flashlight within said pocket comprises means for orienting the flashlight so that lateral emission of light is obstructed by said upwardly crested portion. 
     
     
       17. Headwear as in claim 15, wherein said shield has a rounded upper and two straight side edges joined to said crown, and a rounded lower edge joined to said visor, with junctures between said lower edge and said side edges defining corners. 
     
     
       18. Headwear as in claim 17, wherein said upper edge extends generally along a semi-circular path of a section of said hemispherical crown taken through the center of said base; wherein said lower edge extends generally along an elliptical path between said forward and rearward edges of said visor from the corners at which said visor joins said crown; and wherein said side edges respectively extend generally along lines from said corners to said peak. 
     
     
       19. Headwear as in claim 18, wherein said semicircular path along which said upper edge extends has a forward angular displacement from said peak of approximately 30 degrees. 
     
     
       20. Headwear as in claim 19, wherein said flashlight is an elongated device having lens and bulb elements; wherein said visor and shield are made of stiffened materials; and wherein said means for releasably securing said flashlight comprises a flap on said visor extending into said aperture, a first fastener element located on said extension, and a complementary second fastener element located on said flashlight at a point rearwardly of bulb and lens components thereof in such a way as to align the flashlight axially with the slope of the shield.